The present invention relates generally to distributed computing systems and, more particularly, to a method and system for enabling collaborative document markup.
Interactive systems for allowing collaborative document markup are known. For example, networked computer terminals can be used to share information in real time between participants in mutually disparate geographical locations by way of conventional terminal display means. By making use of the Internet, Web pages displayed on the terminal screens can be used in carrying out a collaborative activity, such as collaborative document markup. Each participant has access to a computer means that is networked with the computer of the other participants. Each participant""s screen acts as a xe2x80x98virtual documentxe2x80x99, allowing the participant to add a markup to a working document, which document is then xe2x80x98deliveredxe2x80x99 to the other participants for display on their respective screens, and for subsequent printing if desired.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a new system and method for enabling collaborative document markup.
According to the invention in a first aspect, there is provided a method of enabling collaborative document markup between participants, the method including the steps of:
providing a participant with at least one document markup form containing information relating to a collaborative document markup session and including coded data indicative of an identity of the document markup form and of at least one reference point of the document markup form;
receiving, in a computer system, indicating data from a sensing device operated by said participant involved in the document markup session, said indicating data regarding the identity of the document markup form and a position of the sensing device relative to the document markup form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the document markup form, sensing the indicating data using at least some of the coded data;
identifying in the computer system and from the indicating data, at least one parameter relating to the document markup session; and
providing at least one other participant remote from said participant with at least one document markup form containing information representative of the at least one parameter.
According to the invention in a second aspect, there is provided a method of enabling document markup between participants, the method including the steps of:
providing a participant with at least one document markup form containing information relating to a collaborative document markup session and including coded data indicative of at least one parameter of the document markup session;
receiving, in a computer system, data from a sensing device operated by said participant regarding said at least one parameter and regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the document markup form, the sensing device, when moved relative to the document markup form, sensing the data regarding said at least one parameter using at least some of the coded data and generating the data regarding its own movement relative to the document markup form;
interpreting, in the computer system, said movement of the sensing device as it relates to said at least one parameter; and
providing at least one other participant remote from said participant with at least one document markup form containing information representative of the at least one parameter.
According to the invention in a third aspect, there is provided a system for enabling collaborative document markup between participants, the system including:
at least one document markup form containing information relating to a collaborative document markup session and including coded data indicative of an identity of the document markup form and of at least one reference point of the document markup form;
a computer system for receiving indicating data from a sensing device operated by a participant involved in the document markup session, said indicating data regarding the identity of the document markup form and a position of the sensing device relative to the document markup form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the document markup form, sensing the indicating data using at least some of the coded data, said computer system including means for identifying, from the indicating data, at least one parameter relating to the document markup session; and
means for providing at least one other participant remote from said participant with at least one document markup form containing information representative of the at least one parameter.
According to the invention in a fourth aspect, there is provided a system for enabling collaborative document markup between participants, the system including:
at least one document markup form containing information relating to a collaborative document markup session and including coded data indicative of at least one parameter of the document markup session;
a computer system for receiving data from a sensing device operated by the participant involved in the document markup session, said data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the document markup form, and for interpreting said movement of the sensing device as it relates to said at least one parameter, the sensing device, when moved relative to the document markup form, sensing the data regarding said at least one parameter using at least some of the coded data, and generating the data regarding its own movement relative to the document markup form; and
means for providing at least one other participant remote from the participant with at least one document markup form containing information representative of the at least one parameter.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a system and a method which utilizes one or more forms capable of interacting with a computer system. Whilst the novel method and system of the present invention may be used in conjunction with a single computer system, in a particularly preferred form it is designed to operate over a computer network, such as the Internet.
Physically, the form is disposed on a surface medium of any suitable structure. However, in a preferred arrangement, the form is disposed on sheet material such as paper or the like which has the coded data printed on it and which allows interaction with the computer system. The coded data is detectable preferably, but not exclusively, outside the visible spectrum, thereby enabling it to be machine-readable but substantially invisible to the human eye. The form may also include visible material which provides information to a user, such as the application or purpose of the form, and which visible information may be registered or correlate in position with the relevant hidden coded data.
The system also includes a sensing device to convey data from the form to the computer system, and in some instances, to contribute additional data. Again, the sensing device may take a variety of forms but is preferably compact and easily portable. In a particularly preferred arrangement, the sensing device is configured as a pen which is designed to be able to physically mark the interactive form as well as to selectively enable the coded data from the form to be read and transmitted to the computer system. The coded data then provides control information, configured such that designation thereof by a user causes instructions to be applied to the software running on the computer system or network.
The nature of the interaction between the form and the sensing device and the data that each contributes to the computer system may vary. In one arrangement, the coded data on the form is indicative of the identity of the form and of at least one reference point on that form. In another embodiment, the interactive form includes coded data which is indicative of a parameter of the form, whereas the sensing device is operative to provide data regarding its own movement relative to that form to the computer system together with coded data from the form. In yet another arrangement, the form includes the coded data which at least identifies the form, and the sensing device is designed to provide, to the computer system, data based on the form coded data, and also on data which identifies the user of the device.
In a preferred arrangement, the system and method also employs specially designed printers to print the interactive form. Further these printers constitute or form part of the computer system and are designed to receive data from the sensing device. As indicated above, the system and method of the invention is ideally suited to operate over a network. In this arrangement, the printers are fully integrated into the network and allow for printing of the interactive forms on demand and also for distributing of the forms using a mixture of multi-cast and point-cast communication protocols.
Accordingly, in a preferred form, the present invention provides methods and systems which use a paper and pen based interface for a computer system. This provides many significant benefits over traditional computer systems. The advantage of paper is that it is widely used to display and record information. Further, printed information is easier to read than information displayed on a computer screen. Moreover, paper does not run on batteries, can be read in bright light, or robustly accepts coffee spills or the like and is portable and disposable. Furthermore, the system allows for hand-drawing and hand-writing to be captured which affords greater richness of expression than input via a computer keyboard and mouse.
The present invention therefore provides a system and method for enabling collaborative document markup, making use of novel interactive surface media.
Geographically distributed participants, who may be in telephone or video communication with one another, can mark up a shared document. A series of printed pages provides the user interface to the computer system that enables this collaborative activity. During a session, every time a participant adds a markup to the document the other participants can be given a new printed copy of the page. New pages can be started at any time, but older pages or older versions of pages can still be marked up and redistributed at any time during the session. Each participant""s contribution can be shown in a different color, in order that different contributions can be distinguished from one another.
The session invitation may contain details on how to establish a telephone or videoconference to accompany the document markup session. Where possible, the system of the invention controls the telephone or video system to initiate the conference.